What Makes No Difference Is No Difference
by arctapus
Summary: I love TF: Prime and finally got a plot in my head. This is that story and group in an AU that has their elements but my direction. This is about hidden truths, humor, drama and adventure. This is about humans and bots saving themselves. This is about my reaction to the Autobots always being underdogs. There will be no spoilers.
1. Chapter 1

Title: What Makes No Difference Is no Difference (1)

Author: Arctapus/Helmboy

Codes: Transformers: Prime, AU, T, mech relationships, humans jumping around, Ratchet harrumphing, humor and drama unfolding and like that. :D :D :D

Summary: A Transformers: Prime story about their struggle here on Earth and the logical outcome of the Omega beam alerting everyone to the whereabouts of Prime and Team Prime. Many bots come, all stay and this is how that goes. This is pre-spacebridge for Megatron, land bridge enabled for both factions, post Cliffjumper TFP. I am also introducing characters out of order of TFP. I try to mix up things a little for storytelling but honor the majority of the show and its depictions of things and events if they can be so honored.

As you can see, I suck at writing these summaries.

If you liked The Diego Diaries, you will probably like this. There will be pauses in posting that are not about me but about avoiding spoiling the story for those out in the world who get the series later than the USA. **No SPOILERS ALLOWED!** I will halt the pieces until everyone lets me know season 3 is viewed where they live. :D (Miko is a hoot to me now. After she went after the Insecticon who hurt Bulkhead, it made her character and intentions clear to me. I hope to continue that here.)

-0-At the Autobot Base, outside Jasper, Nevada (Nuh-vaa-duh to all who want the **CORRECT** pronunciation. Not Nuh-voh-duh. End of public service announcement)

Ratchet stood at the console, his angst rising to epic proportions. Things were quiet around the base but he still felt the burn. There was an uneasiness in his spark, something to which he had learned to pay attention. It never addressed itself directly. He couldn't say this or that was going to happen. He just knew something was afoot.

"Ratchet?"

He looked down at the human he was most fond of. "Rafael?"

"You look upset. Is there something I can help you with?" the little boy asked with a kindly expression.

"No, Rafael. Thank you." Ratchet looked at the screen and saw on the edge what was probably going to be the source of his ennui. "I see we have company," he said quietly. "Ratchet to Prime. We have bogies on the screen."

The sound of heavy treads greeted that remark as Optimus Prime, the only legal leader of their people and bearer of the Creation Matrix, the Autobot Matrix of Leadership entered the vast room. He walked with grace and calmness toward the main computer terminal just as Ratchet placed Rafael gently on the table. "What is it, Ratchet?" Prime asked.

"We have four bogies on the edge of our sensors heading this way at speed," Ratchet said as the three of them turned to look. Behind them, the heavy treads of Bulkhead, Wheeljack and Arcee could be heard entering the room. They walked up and paused. "What's up?" Arcee asked.

"We have bogies entering the system that appear to be ours," Ratchet said glancing back at them.

"Well, tell us where they land and we'll go get them," a small supercharged voice replied.

Everyone looked down. Miko looked up. "Well? We can do it. Wheeljack, Bulkhead and me. We'll bring the smack down if they're 'Cons."

Prime grinned slightly, then looked at his science officer and chief medic. "Is there any information about who they might be, Ratchet?"

"Not at the moment. Their personal designation codes are shielded as yet," Ratchet replied. "The signals appear to be Autobot however. They appear to be traveling in transitional forms following the Omega Beam to Earth."

"If we can see them, the 'Cons can as well," the silky smooth voice of Wheeljack replied.

Ratchet nodded. "We can't fly so we're stuck."

"We have the Jackhammer," Wheeljack replied. "I can go and check them out," he said. Bulkhead nodded.

Prime looked at them and nodded himself. "Go. See who it is. If you can get them without conflict do so. Be aware that the Decepticons will be spying them also."

The two turned to walk to the elevator that would take them to the hangar where the small fighter ship of Wheeljack was hidden. "Wait for me!" a voice called out. They paused and looked down. "Not this time, Miko," Bulkhead said. "Too much danger."

"Aww! Bulkhead! You know I can pull my weight. Wreck 'N Rule!" she said hopefully.

"Not this time, kid," Wheeljack said with a grin. The two turned and walked onward, the elevator door closing behind them.

"Frag," Miko said with great disappointment.

-0-In the solar system

They left in a hurry and buzzed off, the little ship more than equal to the task ahead. Seeker flights were the worst the 'Cons could send beyond the mayhem of Insecticons. The main warship Megatron possessed wasn't up to the speed and maneuverability of the Jackhammer.

"Miko would **love** to see this," Bulkhead said as he filled to overflowing the seat beside his buddy. "She's good to go at a moment's notice."

"I noticed that. Little femme has no fear. That can be a bad thing, Bulk. You need to talk to her about stepping off the cliff. She's less able to bounce than you and me."

Bulkhead nodded. A signal appeared on the sensor screen before him and he ran it. "They're dead ahead."

Wheeljack nodded and maneuvered his ship heading for the signal with haste. Behind them, flashing blinking lights, four Seekers from the warship were in hot pursuit.

-0-At the controls

"What do you suppose they will do when they catch up to the bogies, Ratchet?" Raf asked.

"They can pull them on board. Or they can escort them. If they have trailing debris, they will probably follow them in."

"What do you mean 'trailing debris'?" Jack asked as he stood looking at the sensor screen before them.

"We can travel in a transitional format. That is how Optimus, Bumblebee and I got here." He looked down at them, then keyed an image to appear on the screen. It was Optimus Prime in profile. Then that profile began to wind up becoming an oval shape. That oval shape then appeared in flight with a long burning trail behind it. "That burning debris is accretions that formulate around us in transit. It burns off as we go without harming us in the slightest. In fact, it can hide our signal when we are in this state which is our most vulnerable condition. That is why I cannot read the designations of these four mechs."

"Wow," Raf said as he looked up at the screen. "That is awesome."

A ghost of a smile crossed Ratchet's face. "It is isn't it," he said with a trace of satisfaction.

"Wheeljack to base."

"Ratchet here."

"We have four bogies on our tail. We're going to blast them. Stand by."

Wheeljack's voice cut off trailing static behind it. Arcee glanced at Jack and June Darby who had joined them along with Agent Fowler. The tension was thick as the dots on the screen began to swirl and twist. Obviously, Wheeljack was taking the attackers on a wild ride.

They all watched silently, Bumblebee walking in to join them from somewhere in the base. He looked at the screen and waited too. One by one, the lights blinked out until there was only Autobot signals on the screen. Everyone relaxed a bit as Wheeljack made up the distance to the four furiously flying transitional formats.

"Wheeljack to base."

"Ratchet here."

"We're going to lead them in and keep the bogies off. They're too hot to load up."

"Affirmative," Ratchet said. He glanced at Prime. "They will be here on Earth at the designated pick up spot in fifteen minutes."

"Will you send a bridge?" Raf asked.

Ratchet nodded and glanced at Prime. Prime nodded and turned looking at the tunnel from which all good things came and went. "When Wheeljack gives the all clear, get them, Ratchet. I would like to speak to them right away," he said as he turned to walk back into the installation.

They watched him go, then turned to Ratchet. "You can't figure out who they are?"

"Not yet." Ratchet glanced down at Jack. "We could be getting anyone."

-0-Out there

They formed up around the Jackhammer as Wheeljack turned on the speed. They followed trailing streaks of debris behind them like cometary tails. They flashed past Saturn and made their way in an arc around Mars as they began to fall into the Van Allen energy belt that flowed out from Earth in all directions. The radiation would shield them until they landed and at that point they would need transport away immediately.

"I wish I knew who was coming," Bulkhead said glancing at Wheeljack. "I wonder if its any of the old gang?"

"I hope so. All the more servos to slag the 'Cons," he said as he once again arced toward Earth. The blue marble and its dark moon loomed ahead as Wheeljack flew for the middle of Alberta, Canada. They would careen through the atmosphere, the friction heating them as well as slowing them down. The transitional forms would slam into the earth and begin to unwind immediately. From that point onward, they were visible to sensors and the 'Cons would swarm to kill them.

-0-At the base

Miko stood with mild irritation as she waited for any kind of word from the team. She had wanted to come and was not leery in the slightest about the danger. She was a rare breed of cat among humankind with a pronounced lack of fear in her major response skill set. That made her a Wrecker type personality but also a danger to herself in that she would not know to run given circumstances that would compel someone else to hit the bricks post haste. Her lack of ability to see warning signs was her worst enemy. "Any news?" she asked for the dozenth time.

"They're landing now." Ratchet turned and got the land bridge ready. Staring at the screen, he pinged the call signal and waited for a response.

-0-Out there

They streaked through the sky and slammed into the ground, a foursome that threw out a rolling peal of thunder into the bright mid afternoon skies of Medicine Hat. The countryside of farms and flat open spaces was sparsely populated so unless someone found the landing zone, they would in all likelihood not know aliens had slammed into their area.

The smoldering holes in the ground began to show movement as transitional formats began to unwind swiftly. Slowly, protoforms began to rise as four bots began to stand up. Hovering overhead watching for bogies, Wheeljack and Bulkhead watched. Then Wheeljack pinged the response.

A blossom of energy erupted catching the protoforms' attention. They looked up and one waved. Then they turned and ran like the wind for the bridge. One-by-one, the four entered and it powered down disappearing immediately.

"Step on it, Jackie. I want to see who has come for dinner," Bulkhead said with a grin.

"You and me both," Wheeljack said as he stepped on the gas. They disappeared in seconds. Two minutes later, a flight of Seekers would appear. Only four long ditches ending in four holes would tell the story. They would go back to Megatron empty-handed.

-0-TBC

04-16-13


	2. Chapter 2

What Makes No Difference Is No Difference (2)

-0-At base

Raf stood beside June and Jack Darby watching the swirling energy of the bridge. Bee, Arcee and Ratchet watched as well. Agent Fowler stood beside Ratchet watching expectantly as the sound of running footfalls could be heard. When the four burst into the room, they were the strangest sight any of the humans had ever seen. The four Autobots were in their original protoform format.

They paused and looked at the group, staring at everyone silently. They were tall and made of a copper or bronze colored liquid appearing, roiling acting metallic material. It was fluid, dense and seemed to be the thick layered outer cover for an interior angular skeleton. Their faces were distinctive of each other but oddly alien, their blue optics highly shiny against the duller color of their bodies.

Ratchet stepped forward hesitantly, then paused. He talked to them in their language and the group listened. Turning to the computer, Ratchet called up a number of files and fed them to the protoforms before them. They stood quietly, as if internalizing something. Then they began to change. Metal shifted, some of it flowing and other parts moving here and there. They began to shift and color appeared as they chose their personal appearance modes trans-scanning the files internally.

The first to appear was a very tall powerful bot with a green and yellow color scheme. His expressive face was handsome, his optics piercing. His tattoo for the Autobots was matched by another slightly different one. It was the same one that Wheeljack had sported and signaled that this mech was a Wrecker.

Standing next to him was a bot his size and height. He was angular, wore mostly a white scheme with different markings of red here and there. His Autobrand he wore in the center of his chest while sword handles for three blades, two short and one long appeared over his broad shoulders. He looked warily around but stood quietly.

A bot about Bumblebee's size appeared before them, his helm black and his body black, white and blue. He wore a different kind of optical device, a blue visor that hid most of his expressive and handsome face. He was powerful and looked incredibly fast even in repose. He grinned at Ratchet. "Hi, Ratchet. Long time no see."

Ratchet grinned. "Welcome to Earth, Jazz."

As he said that, the last format changed into his Earthly mode, a solid black bruiser with piercing blue optics. He wore his Autobrand in plain sight and looked ferocious. He looked at Ratchet with an intense gaze and the medic returned it. "Hello, Ironhide," he said quietly.

The big mech nodded and they all turned as heavy treads approached. The elevator nearby opened, Bulkhead and Wheeljack stepping out expectantly. Everyone looked at everyone as Arcee and Ratchet bent down to retrieve humans. June and Jack Darby, Rafael Esqueval, Miko Nakadai and Agent William 'Bill' Fowler would stand on the mezzanine nearby to watch.

The conversation was in Cybertronian as acquaintances were made, then switched to English as Prime noted the humans watching with deep abiding interest. He looked at them and nodded. "I would like you to meet our new Autobots," Prime said as he looked at the four new troops. "I would like you to meet our human allies as well. This is June and Jack Darby, Rafael Esquivel, Miko Nakadai and Agent Fowler of the United States Government." He looked at them. "They may look small but they are our greatest friends and allies here. They are also among the few that know about us. We are robots in disguise here and no one is allowed to know we exist."

The four looked at the little organics, then Miko stepped forward gripping the bar. "What was it like out there? Did you run into any 'Cons? Bulk and Wheeljack slag them all the time. I help them too."

Bulkhead grinned. "She wrecks with the best of them."

"It would appear to be so," the mellow voiced yellow and green bot said nodding to Miko. "Nice to make your acquaintance."

Prime turned to the humans. "This is Springer. He was and still is Chief of the Wreckers."

Miko blinked. "Really? Awesome!"

Springer grinned and glanced at Prime

"What she lacks in stature, she makes up for in spark." Prime looked at the others. "This is Drift, a former Decepticon who is an Autobot now."

"He came to his senses," Bulkhead said with a grin.

Drift nodded. "I did."

"This is Jazz, our special operations and intelligence officer. He is one of my first lieutenants," Prime said nodding to the smiling bot who was being hugged half to death by Bumblebee.

"This last but not least is my weapons specialist and Master of the Autobot Army, Ironhide."

The big black bot nodded, his dark paint scheme and pointed finials giving him a slightly demonic expression. He didn't speak but kept his gaze focused on Ratchet.

"Four new bots. Awesome!" Miko said.

"You vouch for all of them, Prime?" Fowler asked.

"With my life, Agent Fowler," Prime replied.

"Good enough for me," Fowler replied nodding. "Welcome to Earth," he said looking at the four. "You aren't supposed to be in robot form unless Prime orders it. Our population on this world doesn't know about you. It would complicate things a lot if they saw you. We're the only ones allowed to do that."

"Those three are children, right?" Ironhide finally asked nodding to the three kids on the mezzanine. "I would think that would be unwise to involve infants."

"I'm no infant," Miko said folding her arms across her chest. "We have infiltrated Megatron's ship and created mayhem all over the place. We are small but we're tough."

"Truer words never spoken, Ironhide," Wheeljack said with a grin. "Don't let their size or age fool ya. They are tougher than they look."

Ironhide merely nodded.

Prime turned to them. "I need to talk to you about space beyond Earth and anything else you may know. If you will follow me," he said, then turned and began to walk into the base's interior. Three mechs turned to follow. Ironhide merely stared at Ratchet. Then at last, he turned and walked away, disappearing into the tunnel beyond.

It was quiet a moment, then Raf turned to Ratchet. "What was that bot doing staring at you, Ratchet? Are you two friends or something?" he asked in his twelve year old naivete.

Ratchet looked down and flustered a moment. "Yes. We were. Are. We are friends." He then turned back to the console and began to busy himself.

The humans looked at each other, then walked to the seating area to unwind. Miko looked at them, then turned and ran down the steps. Heading out, she disappeared into the base too.

-0-In the conference room

They sat and talked discussing the situation beyond the solar system and all that had happened to everyone on the way to Earth. They discussed their stories and told their intel in their own language. Prime sat and listened, his handsome face serious and attentive. He was filled with joy at their presence, these mechs who knew how to fight and brought great skill to the table.

It had been a long time since he had the pleasure of their company and the sense of being among his own people to this degree. They talked about the 'Cons, about the Empire beyond breaking into factions as each area struggled to maintain itself without Megatron's iron grip. It was a long hard journey for all of them as they searched for the AllSpark. Others were out there and they had the unifying factor of the Omega beam to bring them all together. It was the hope. Until then, they would maintain here.

Miko stood by the door watching them. She knew a lot more about them than most of them understood. She could read their moods and body language. She even knew what some of their strange language meant. She loved Bulkhead fiercely and now Wheeljack too. They were warriors and Wreckers together and she pulled her own weight.

The conversation would continue and she would wait. When it was over, they would go on a drive together and she would wheedle details out of Bulkhead that no one else could ever hope for. He told her because he loved and trusted her. She asked for the same reason. They were one.

-0-Ratchet

He stood by the computer working on this and that thing. The humans minus Fowler watched him. Agent Fowler had gone home as all of them would eventually. Until then, they sat and quietly watched Ratchet as he buried himself into busy work.

June Darby knew the signs. She was a nurse and understood when someone was under stress. One of the newcomers had affected him. Which one it was she could only guess. The big black mech named Ironhide had stared at him a lot. Maybe it was him. She didn't dare ask. Ratchet was formal and dignified. Only Miko needled him and got away with it. She couldn't. Glancing around, checking her watch, she stood. "I have to get ready for work. Do you want to come now or have Arcee drop you off? What about you, Raf?"

Both demurred, so with a kiss and a 'good night, Ratchet' that was barely reciprocated, June Darby got into her car and drove off to town. The two boys sat and watched Ratchet. They also watched when Bulkhead came out, transformed and drove off with Miko. Springer and Drift walked out with Wheeljack to go up the elevator and work on the Jackhammer. That left Bumblebee who went up with them, Prime who was working elsewhere and Arcee who was still in the conference room catching up with Jazz. They sat back and glanced at each other just as the big black Autobot walked into the room.

He didn't see them so they sunk even lower in their chair. Ratchet had his back to the menacing looking bruiser. Whether he saw Ironhide or not, they couldn't tell. They just felt like they were intruders spying on someone.

The big bot walked closer and halted clearing his vocal capacitor, a wholly unnecessary thing. Ratchet paused slightly. "I know you're there. You don't have to do that."

"I thought I did. You didn't exactly seem happy to see me," he replied in a deeply masculine voice.

"I am," Ratchet said noncommittally.

"I can see that," Ironhide said with a slightly snide tone.

Ratchet paused and looked at him. "What do you want me to do in a midst of personnel?"

"A simple hello might be nice," Ironhide said, his big servos resting on his hip assemblies. They glared at each other.

"Hello," Ratchet said grudgingly.

It was silent a moment, then Ironhide looked at the mezzanine. "We aren't alone."

"I am aware of that," Ratchet replied.

"We can go," Jack said sitting up straighter.

"No," Ratchet said. "You're fine where you are."

Ironhide looked at Ratchet and frowned. "Since when do you need protectors?"

"I don't."

"Could have fooled me, old mech," Ironhide said crossing his arms over his broad chassis.

"Old mech? Who are you calling old mech?" Ratchet replied testily.

Ironhide nodded. "You. Its been a while and when I show up, you grumble. You act like it was my fault that we were separated," he said with a slight growl.

Footfalls sounded as Arcee stepped out pausing before the two irritated behemoths. The two glared, then Ratchet turned and walked off muttering to himself into the corridor. Ironhide watched him, then turned to follow. Arcee wavered, then turned pointedly to the elevator.

"Arcee!" Jack called but it was too late. He glanced at Raf, the two staring a moment at the other, then as one they stood up and ran down the stairs. Across the big room they went. Running down the corridor, Jack paused, Raf slamming into his back. He backed up pushing Raf. Then they both turned and peered around the corner.

Ratchet and Ironhide had paused. They were hugging, Ratchet's peds completely off the floor. It was silent. The emotions were heavy. There was no one else around but the pair of bots and the two boys.

The two boys beat a hasty retreat out of there.

-0-TBC

4-16-13


	3. Chapter 3

What Makes No Difference Is No Difference (3)

-0-Ironhide and Springer, in another time and place

The rain fell on the frontier mining town making a mess of the dirt roads that were the main transport routes through the tangle of houses and businesses that were organized on a grid pattern. It was an old town with very few amenities beyond a large hall and a couple of bars and cafes. The organics who lived here were miners who worked in poor conditions for good compensation. The nearest city or town to this place was a number of hours away over bumpy roads or a series of plane flights. They were isolated and proud of it.

Several walked hurriedly along heading to the hall where light streamed through the big doors and windows set high in the ceiling. They splashed across puddles hurrying for the doors and entered disappearing inside. If they had taken more time they would have noticed the big dark compressors sitting in an alleyway nearby. They might have noticed a small orangish-red tag near the bottom of the one closest to the street, the large black metallic machine that looked like it weighed tons. But they didn't. They were in too big a hurry to attend the games.

It would be a very big mistake.

-0-Inside

The hall was filled with organics but more continued to come. They sat waiting for the entertainment to begin. This would be the third time this had been staged and they were looking forward to it all day long.

The hall had a ring in the middle, a ring rounded by ropes that looked electrified. In the middle of it two small metallic individuals huddled together, their arms around each other. They looked at the crowds with frightened eyes, eyes that glowed with a blue light. They clung to each other with intense fear.

Nearby behind electrified bars, several bigger individuals stood shouting in shrill electronic voices. They stood in abject terror as they futilely cried out for the smaller beings. No one paid them any attention, certainly not the organics standing beside the ring with electronic prods. One of them called for silence. Then the games began.

-0-Outside

The last organic passed and entered the hall. Then all was silent again. The big dark pieces of machinery began to vibrate, then fall apart seemingly reshaping themselves upward. When it was over, two big humanoid figures stood in their places.

One of them was green and yellow, his optics brightly looking here and there. The first was massive, utterly black and pissed. He looked at the other, smoke snorting from his pug nostrils, then the two moved forward heading to the hall themselves.

-0-Inside

They looked at each other, crying out their distress to no avail. They looked at their family in the cage nearby crying out to them. It was ghastly, the distress between the two but the organics didn't see it. They might not have been able to understand it. This group was so completely different from them. They were machines. How could machines feel anything?

These metallics had come to their planet to get provisions and had been taken captive. They weren't soldiers. They were a little family, parents, grandparents and a pair of children, a femme and mech. For the past three days the little children were forced to fight each other in the ring. Nothing their family or they could say or do was met with understanding. Nothing was going to change anything.

They thought.

The infants pushed each other, looking around desperately as they did. A prod reached through the ring touching the mech. He cried out, staggering forward into the arms of his sister. She caught him, her own wails filling the room. The family in the cage flung themselves against the bars to no avail. The din of their distress rose up and outward falling on deaf ears.

Inside the hall.

-0-Outside

They hurried to the building, their weapons online. Going to the rear, Springer paused and looked in through the windows. What he saw turned his tanks over. Little children, really young ones were inside a ring and it was clear what they were supposed to do. They clung to each other in terror as electric prods tried to poke them. The image would never leave his processor as long as he lived. :Ironhide, they're tormenting children. We have to move:

The big black bot looking through his own windows didn't wait to reply. He merely blew a hole in the wall and stepped through.

The seating inside was tiered and surrounded the structure on all sides. When Ironhide walked inside, he did so into a newly opened space. Where organics had sat in tiers, there was nothing left. Vapor hung in the air, the residue of their existence as Ironhide took aim and fired.

Springer entered through a hole of his own making doing the same. He moved through the mayhem, dodging falling debris from a collapsing ceiling as he headed for the cage where the family stood frozen in surprise. Looking at him with an expression of such incredulity he would remember it forever, Springer finally reached them.

Ironhide walked to the ring and lowered his servo. The infants clambered aboard and were taken up to his shoulder. They climbed onto it and hung onto him tightly, staring at their family with terror. Springer firing with abandon made it to the cage and ripped the top off. Ironhide turning began to blow holes in the walls to bring the entire structure down. Springer anticipating the possibilities blew a hole in the wall, pulled the cage over and helped the family inside climb out of their entrapment and into the night beyond.

Ironhide stepped forward, crushing the ring beneath his big peds. The snap and flash of electrical circuits shorting out was a brief tingling sensation, then vanished. He continued to where Springer stood protecting the family, then paused. Nodding to Springer, everyone stepped back and the two Autobots leveled the building with their firepower.

It crashed into a blazing pile of debris and arcing electrical surges illuminating their presences into something that seemed demonic. Pings landed against their armor so they turned noting that the organics had organized a resistance. Turning their weapons on them, they was soon in retreat scattering into the maze of buildings that made up their city.

Other buildings emptied out as organics paused, then turned to run. With the civilians behind them, Springer and Ironhide walked forward leveling every structure they saw once scanned and free of inhabitants. By the time they reached the airfield where the ships were parked, one in the middle of the field and one nearby in an unobtrusive place, few if any buildings would still be standing.

The rain fell heavily turning the ground into mud. Torrents of water flowed down the street as the rain gathered and overflowed the streams nearby in the deep dark forest. Behind them, fires burned away, their fierce light throwing strange frightening shadows everywhere, the city was in shambles. They could detect organics nearby on their sensors but they didn't bother to challenge the strange party of monsters walking to the airfield, casually blowing all of their houses and habitations to bits.

When they reached the field, they paused noting mines nearby. A quick scan indicated that no one was below. Apparently they didn't work when the sun came down.

Organics, Ironhide thought. Inefficient. Glancing at Springer, they nodded. Both pointed their weapons, aimed and fired. The destruction hit the openings as they continued firing until it was obviously redundant. Under their peds they could feel eruptions as the ores blew up in the blasts and heat.

Turning, helping the family board their ship, they then boarded their own. Together, they rose upward heading into the star studded sky. They would disappear nearly immediately. The destruction below was complete. Many organics would never be accounted for, victims of a 'demonic attack' that would go into the media as a 'strange mine blow out in the colonies' rather than what it was.

An alien war brought on by inhumane treatment of one of their own.

Autobots coming to the aid of refugee civilians in distress.

They pulled into orbit as Springer fed energy to the ship filled with grateful hysterical civilians. Once it was determined that there were no others left behind, Ironhide did one more thing before they both left for safety. He dropped a stationary buoy that would alert any other Cybertronians that this was a system to avoid at all costs.

As they disappeared into the nighttime of space, the buoy would continue to send its signal. Even the Decepticons would honor it for a while. They would stop when it became clear that the ores being mined were energon. Then they wouldn't.

The organics would never know what hit them.

-0-Later

They landed at the refugee camp and military base the Autobots had established in a secured system helping the civilians from their vessel. A short walk to a medical tent and treatment was made, the family nearly abject in their gratitude toward their saviors. Ironhide and Springer nodded sympathetically, then turned walking to the command center nearby. Entering, he paused by the sensor station where Prowl stood. "We found some refugees being abused. They won't be abused again."

Prowl glancing at Ironhide and the languid Wrecker standing with him nodded. "Good." He turned and keyed the computer. A screen appeared and on it was a signal flowing outward into infinity. "This is emanating from a small solar system and holds promise for us to investigate. We need to find Prime and see what is happening in regard to the AllSpark. I want you and Springer to go. If you need to take anyone else, choose well. I want information as soon as possible. There is sketchy intel that Megatron is in the vicinity too. If the AllSpark is there, either Optimus has it and is defending it or vice versa. We need to know."

Ironhide nodded. "I'll take Springer and Drift for muscle and Jazz for intel."

Prowl nodded. "Let us know. I am gathering soldiers and ships. We can come if we know its worth the effort."

Ironhide nodded and looked at Springer. "Go get your partner and Jazz. I'm going to get what we need. Meet me at the air field."

Springer nodded and turned walking out the door. They watched him go, then Prowl looked at Ironhide. "What happened on that planet besides the liberation of our people?"

Ironhide looked at Prowl and shrugged. "You don't really want to know. Suffice it to say, no one there will ever abuse our kids again."

Prowl considered that and nodded. "Good," he said quietly.

Ironhide nodded and turned. "See you later."

"I count on it, Ironhide," Prowl said as he turned back to his station.

Ironhide exited the building heading for the air field. He would load up on energon as would the others. Then he would break down into transitional mode and propel himself into space. Forming up with the others, he would speed forward heading along the Omega Beam's trail to the small nondescript solar system where the last known location of Optimus Prime had been determined.

It would take a while.

-0-TBC

04-17-13 NOTE: This story reflects the tone of the series which is gritty and a bit hardcore. I am trying to ascertain Ratchet's attitudes and behavior. He is a dedicated home boy, that is clear. His feelings and love for his home world are the most open thing about him. He interests me, this incarnation of himself. He is G1 in general, a party guy with a sassy temper but this is how he is being presented here so I want to see what is behind him.

Besides Ironhide.

"WHAT!? WELL, I NEVER!"

"You should, Ratchet. You should." ;)


	4. Chapter 4

NOTE: The story line in order from Transformers: Prime will not be going on here. I can't make the story I'm writing fit the sequence of TFP so I am going to use the episodes out of order to fit the story. I will make sure it makes sense but if you see things happening later rather than earlier, you will know why. HUGS, all of you. :D

-0-Onward

What Makes No Difference Is no Difference 4

-0-Later that day

Ratchet worked quietly at the computer station in the main room. Behind him, he could hear bots walking past, their voices a welcome relief from the constant din of English, a language that was difficult but not impossible for them to formulate. The sound of Cybertronian language and their many dialects was like being home if he didn't look up to see the earthen walls of their underground base.

A huge Autobrand on the floor was placed there as a balm to his own longing. Their home world almost seemed like a bad joke told to him long ago by a parent who wanted his rootlessness to have meaning. There were times he almost considered it a ghost concocted by someone to tease them than a real place he had once lived.

A heavy tread caught him from his thoughts. He tensed, then willed himself to relax. A big servo touched his shoulder, then withdrew. Ironhide stood beside him looking at the screen. "Anything out there?"

"Not much," he replied. "Megatron has his ship shielded. It could be overhead but we wouldn't know."

Ironhide nodded. "Weird equipment. You made do I see."

"I do what I can," Ratchet replied non-committally.

It was silent a moment, then Ironhide spoke softly in his own dialect, one Ratchet loved. "I moved into your quarters."

Ratchet glanced sharply at him. "You never asked."

"I wasn't aware that I had to," he replied. He braced himself for the arguments, determined to win this discussion as he always did. They didn't come.

Ratchet looked at the screen again, his posture showing resignation. "It won't help to argue. You always prevail."

"I wasn't aware that you viewed it that way, Ratchet," Ironhide said softly.

Ratchet didn't reply. He kept his gaze firmly on the screen, his servos on the keypads. He willed himself to stay strong in the intensity of Ironhide. "You should do what you want."

"I would like for you to want it too, Ratchet," Ironhide said. He shook his helm. "I have missed you forever."

Ratchet wavered a moment, then glanced up at Ironhide. The bot towered over him, his bulk reminiscent of Optimus when he stood nearby. "I am sorry."

Ironhide looked at him measuring his expression, his energy, his posture. They were experts of their own nuance, each knowing from every small gesture and inflected word what the other was feeling, thinking, going to do. There was a cloud here now, one of a deep pain that never went away. He could see Ratchet through the gauze of it and missed him. So close, so far away. "I know. You know that I feel the same for you."

Ratchet looked back to the screen. "This isn't the place to talk."

"Then pick one and I'll be there," Ironhide said leaning closer to emphasize his intentions.

A light flashed, then a Decepticon signal appeared on the screen. "We have a flight. Everyone needs to come inside," Ratchet said. "They fly over looking for us. We are concerned they may narrow it down and discover the base."

Ironhide nodded and looked at the elevator. Walking to it, he entered and disappeared. As he did, Ratchet noticed Miko looking at him, her arms crossed. That was never a good thing. It was a tell. It gave him a clue of her resolve to pursuit a point. He looked away watching as the bogies numbering five came ever closer. Before Miko could speak, the elevator opened and bots began to step out.

Bumblebee with Jazz, Wheeljack, Arcee and Bulkhead congregated and turned to Ratchet. "What's up?" Wheeljack asked.

"We have a flyover," Ratchet said as Springer and Drift walked in from the rest of the installation. "When they pass, we can be topside.

"Why don't we blast them?" Drift asked.

"They will have evidence that we are from around here," Ratchet said. "We would do their job for them."

They stood a moment watching the screen. The flight flew over their base and continued onward. Jazz walked to stand beside Ratchet. "These fraggers have to learn their manners."

Ratchet looked at him and nodded. "I agree but not in our own backyard. Prime has a standing order. If they come our way, we go to ground."

"Some day, we slag them," Jazz replied, an uncharacteristically cold expression on his handsome face.

"You and me both," Ratchet said softly. The signals disappeared from the screen.

-0-Later that day

"There's something between Ratchet and Ironhide and it isn't good," Miko said to Jack as they sat together on the couch playing video games. Raf sat nearby engrossed in home work.

"There may be but it isn't our business," Jack said.

She put down her control and rose stretching. "I'm going to find out."

"Miko!"

She looked at him. "What?"

"Maybe its something terrible from the war. Maybe it will bring back terrible memories. Leave it alone," Jack said with a frown.

"I won't ask them, dummy. I'll ask Bulkhead." With that, she turned and hurried for the stairs. She took them swiftly and ran for the corridor that led into the base interior.

Jack watched her, then put down his control racing to follow her inside. Raf didn't notice either leave.

-0-Inside

She paused at the doorway of the room where the bots usually energized. The room was stacked floor to ceiling several cubes deep and from wall to wall along the back with the shimmering blue bricks. Sitting at a huge table laughing and talking, Wheeljack, Bulkhead, Springer and Drift congregated. Bumblebee who was walking from a dispensor with a small cube in his servo sat in an empty chair. They must have given him guff because he flared up comically and punched Bulkhead in the arm.

For a moment they chuckled, then Wheeljack turned and looked down. "We have company," he said in English, his silky voice almost a purr. He grinned and glanced at the others. "Miko likes to hang out. She's a good listener."

The others nodded as Bulkhead reached down. She climbed on board and jumped down onto the tabletop to find a spot to sit on a box of ammo on the table. "Thanks, Bulk. I wanted to ask you all something."

Jack who was standing by the door blanched, then stepped forward. "Miko!"

They all looked down again. "More of them," Drift said with a slight smirk.

"The place is crawling with them. You would think they owned the planet," Springer said with a grin.

"Miko, you need to think," Jack said.

"What, me think? What is the fun in that?" she asked with a grin.

"What do you want to know, Miko?" Bulkhead asked.

"I want to know about Ironhide and Ratchet," she said.

The mellow tone of the room dropped as the bots sat back in their chairs, their smiles fading. Bulkhead looked at her with alarm. "Miko, we don't do that. It's not considered polite and Cybertronians don't gossip."

Wheeljack looked at Bulkhead with a slight smirk. Bulkhead looked at him, then grinned. "Much anyway."

Jack stepped closer. "Good. See, Miko? Now come on."

"I want to know. We're part of the team and anything that affects the team is good to know," Miko said. She crossed her arms. "Either we're a team or we aren't, Bulk. I want to know why Ratchet is so upset around Ironhide."

They sat looking at her, then each other. As they did, Jack felt his insides turn over. This could be a huge taboo she was challenging. Springer leaned forward on his elbows. "We don't tell the deep important stuff like this. Its considered impolite. It also is a way to undermine the cohesiveness and unity of our group if we gossip about each other. I don't know how you do things, little girl, but we can't tell you without the permission of Ironhide or Ratchet and they won't give it or they would have told you themselves."

Miko looked at Springer levelly, then nodded. "Okay."

For a moment it was just silent, then Miko stood up. "I will ask them." She walked to Bulkhead and waited. He held out his servo and the little girl climbed on board. He paused his servo before his face. "Miko, you better leave things alone. This is our way. If you respect us and me, you will do what I ask."

She looked at him, then leaned out and gripped his face with both arms. Hugging him, pressing her own against him, she stepped back. "You know I love you, Bulkhead."

He nodded. "And?"

"I won't ask," Miko said nodding.

Bulkhead smiled. "That's my girl." He lowered her to the floor and she walked to the door, then paused. Looking back, she grinned. "For now." Then she turned and walked out, a flustered Jack in hot pursuit.

The bots looked at the door, then Bulkhead. He vented a sigh. "She's a hard aft."

"So she is," Springer said with a grin. "I like her. Femme has bearings."

"She does. Too many," Wheeljack said shaking his helm. "She can fight with the best of them. She took out Hardshell."

They looked at him for a moment, then Bulkhead who nodded. "She did."

Sitting back, they considered that, the nemesis bot of the Wreckers falling to a little organic girl. Springer shook his helm. "This is one strange organic species."

"Tell me about it," Bulkhead said proudly.

-0-In the corridor

"You heard them, Miko. They have their ways and you're stepping on them." Jack looked at her with exasperation.

She looked back just as intensely. "You want to ask them too."

"I would if it didn't violate some sort of rule," Jack said. "You heard them."

"I did," Miko said crossing her arms. "For now."

Jack shook his head. "Promise me when you decide to do it I won't be around. I feel like asking would be to lose their respect, Miko."

She considered that, then shrugged. "Alright."

Jack looked intensely relieved. Turning, he walked toward the great room and the others. Miko watched him go with a cloud of aggravation around her. She considered him, then relaxed. "For now, Jack," she said as she turned to follow him.

-0-Out in the void of space

The transport ship flew through space heading for their destination on a programmed setting. Most of the crew was in stasis or part of the skeleton shift that flew her. In the hold were a number of important things including an Autobot youngster who had been captured trying to defend the Hall of Records on Cybertron.

He hung quietly faking lack of sentience. He was waiting for an opportunity. He wouldn't have to wait long.

Running down the hold heading for an escape pod, Smokescreen hugged the shadows. His guards were looking for him but they wouldn't get him back. He entered an escape pod and buckled in, the vehicle starting up as the hatch sealed. It launched, a hard jolting event and fell into darkness right away. As it kicked in and began to fly away, the mechanism that kept occupants in good condition for long deep space flights kicked in and he fell into stasis. He would remain there until a ship commanded by Megatron picked him up on sensors and guided him in.

It would be a hard landing on the organic surface of Earth.

-0-TBC

04-18-2013


	5. Chapter 5

What Makes No Difference Is No Difference 5

-0-The next morning

Ratchet had come on station going through the steps of monitoring and searching for anything and everything. The overnight data had been calm, the threat of incursions limited. Two Decepticon flights had passed over but continued onward, their efforts to find the Autobot Base failures.

The sound of voices behind him spoke of mechs gathering to energize and talk. It was a pleasant sound and reminded him of Iacon and the big hospital he had headed during the run up to the Fall. They had a big apartment, the Master of the Autobot Armed Forces and C.M.O. of the Army having enough where with all to have a nice home.

That had been then, this was now. He pushed it out of his mind and concentrated on the screen before him. Heavy treads spoke of mechs coming into the great room and as they did a flashing light appeared on the screen. The alarm went off signaling a bogie and everyone stopped to turn toward Ratchet.

"What is it?" Ironhide asked as he walked to stand beside Ratchet.

"It is an Autobot signal. Who? Its not known. Its traveling by transitional format and therefore has cloaked its identification signal."

Prime who had entered the room nodded. "Very well. Wheeljack and Bulkhead, come with me and we'll go find them. We will need a ground bridge, Ratchet."

Ironhide turned and walked to Prime. "I'm coming too."

Prime smirked slightly and nodded. The four turned to the bridge and waited.

"I have the projected landing site, Optimus. Opening a ground bridge now," Ratchet said as he leaned over and activated the device.

A flash of greenish-blue light swirled and settled into a tunnel maelstrom. The four transformed and drove into it disappearing almost instantly. The others stared at it, then Ratchet. "Nice piece of work, Ratchet," Springer said.

"Considering its made from bailing wire and duct tape, I would agree," Ratchet replied.

Springer and Drift turned and walked into the base, Arcee and Bumblebee following. It was quiet. It would remain so until June Darby dropped off the kids. It was Saturday and they were off school. Ratchet had come to hate Saturdays.

-0-Out there

They came out at the other side and found themselves on a flat landscape. Tall grass bent over in the breeze and far away mountains stood tall, their jagged white peaks indicating their young age geologically. The wind was soft but it rustled the tall grass which undulated like waves on a lake.

"This is nice," Bulkhead said looking around.

Ironhide nodded. "Organic worlds can be surprising." He turned and looked at Prime. "How long were you together as a group before landing here, Optimus?"

Prime considered that. "We were together since Aleph 3. We got a shot at the AllSpark and transitioned after it, Bumblebee, Ratchet, Bulkhead and me. Arcee and Cliffjumper joined us later on when they fled Shockwave over a space bridge from Cybertron."

"They were still there? What happened to Shockwave?" Ironhide asked with surprise.

"They had a dust up and there were shots fired in the bridge. Arcee believes she put out his optic. Then it closed and they were here. They heard my message."

"So did we," Ironhide said. "We got off behind you from Aleph and never hooked up. We triangulated on the message heading this way. It was a miracle we found you. One degree or a fraction of a degree either way and we could have missed you by light years."

Prime nodded. "I know."

The sound of a thundering object overhead drew their attention and they turned to look in the sky. A large meteor was streaking in through the atmosphere, a long burning trail of smoke and fire streaming behind. It arced across the sky, then thundered in striking the ground with an explosion. It screamed forward sliding on the ground before coming to a stop.

They turned and ran toward it pausing at the long slide. Ironhide looked upward as he scanned all around while Optimus jumped into the dug out trail and walked to the hole where the protoform was unwinding. It became bigger and bigger before snapping finally into place, a smirking face looking at them at last.

Prime grinned and extended his servo.

"I'm smoking hot, Optimus," the protoform said.

"There are those who say I am too," Optimus said offering a joke to the clueless bot before him. When he had downloaded the urban dictionary among others later, he would have a big chuckle. But not now. He merely gripped the servo extended and accepted the greetings and laughs of those present.

"Ratchet to Prime."

"Prime here."

"You better come if you can. The Decepticons got the signal too."

"On our way. Ratchet, open a bridge." Prime turned to the newcomer and grinned. "Our cue to go." With that, he turned and walked toward a blossom of energy that had just bloomed before the group. One by one, they entered and it closed falling away into nothingness immediately. Seconds later, a flight of Seekers would fly over and beyond the trace of ground bridge energy, they would find nothing.

Again.

-0-At the base

They stepped out one by one, the others gathered with expectation. Optimus came first, then Bulkhead, Ironhide and Wheeljack. The crowd parted as the newbie stepped into view. Ratchet looked at him, then shook his helm. "Oh great. You."

"It's good to see you too, Ratchet," the newcomer said with a chuckle. "Feels like old home week with a welcome like that."

Everyone laughed at what appeared to be an old joke. Miko, Jack and Raf who had been dropped off earlier stood at the bannister of the mezzanine watching. The new bot was big, tall and lethal looking. He was red, black and white, had a really handsome face and finish and possessed a lot of charm. Everyone was really glad to see him.

Ratchet wasn't, Miko thought. Ratchet was as exasperated to see him as he was to see her most of the time. He must be a holy terror she thought. She watched the bots talk, then Prime turned glancing at the three silent humans. He looked at the new bot and nodded, gesturing with a sweep of his arm at the trio. "I want you to meet three humans who live on this planet and who have been friends of ours from the beginning."

They turned and looked at the kids. The big newbie moved closer to see. Optimus began the introductions. "This is Jack, Miko and Rafael. They are colleagues and friends. Their species is the one who is native here. They are also among the handful of their kind who know we exist. We live here as robots in disguise. You will have to choose a vehicle format which will be your primary mode when you leave this base." Optimus turned and grinned at the three. "This Autobot is called Sideswipe."

They looked at him and nodded. Miko considered him and stepped closer to the edge. "Are you a front liner? Do you carry heavy weapons? Do you like monster trucks? How many Decepticons have you sent to the Matrix?" she asked in staccato fashion.

Sideswipe looked at her, then smirked at Wheeljack. "Whoa."

Wheeljack nodded, smiling at the kids. "They're all tough but the little femme can Wreck with the best of them."

"Are you a Wrecker too?" Miko asked.

"Too?" Sideswipe replied with surprise.

"She offed Hard Shell," Drift mentioned, a slight smirk on his face.

"Don't remind us," Arcee said in her droll voice.

"Hard Shell? I've been trying to snuff that fragger since forever," Sideswipe said looking at Miko with appraising optics. He paused and looked at the group. "Have any of you seen my brother?" he asked.

"Nope. But knowing Sunstreaker, he will come. Mech needs an audience," Ironhide said with a grin.

"He does. He better get here. I hear Megatron is here. If that's so, he's mine," Sideswipe said bumping fists with Ironhide.

"Take a number and stand in line," Wheeljack said. They chatted and laughed, then turned to walk to the rec room. Optimus went with them to debrief Sideswipe as well. The kids turned and looked at Ratchet who had turned back to the screen. Miko considered his attitude, then asked the question the other two had but would never ask. "Ratchet, what's up with this bot?"

Ratchet paused a moment, then looked at Miko. "He's you without the dress."

Miko looked at Jack and Raf who snickered. She frowned. She looked back at Ratchet. "I don't wear dresses."

"Yes. Yesyesyesyesyes," Ratchet said absentmindedly. He was hot on the trail of who knew what so the three turned and walked to the couches. Jack and Raf sat grabbing a handset for the video player. They loaded a new program and began. Miko watched them a moment, then turned and walked to the stairs. She climbed down them and walked across the great room floor heading for the rec room, the laughter and the conversation she could hear coming out of there.

Sideswipe was new. He was a Wrecker. And he was her in Cybertronian format.

He was her kind of mech.

She was sure he would tell her about Ironhide and Ratchet. And maybe if he did, he would tell her about Bulkhead, Wheeljack, Springer and Drift. Maybe he could tell her about Cliffjumper and Arcee and …

She disappeared around the corner from view.

-0-TBC

04-22-13 This one will not come as often as Diego Diaries because that one is the first story I write every day. This one will come fast. It won't sit and rot for a month. I just cannot guarantee it will come everyday, though that is my target. :D :D :D


	6. Chapter 6

NOTE: Fan Fiction dot net didn't allow me to post this last night. :( I don't know what was what. But it wouldn't even come up.

Darn. Well, here it is now. :D

What Makes No Difference Is No Difference (6)

-0-In class that Monday

Miko sat considering the intel she had collected from the weekend. It wasn't as much as she wanted but was more than she had. Sideswipe was a holy terror, a prankster and a deadly warrior. He had been roaming through space looking for his brother, the AllSpark and Prime in that order. He had managed along the way to find skills that he had added to his arsenal of lethal tools. He had learned dozens upon dozens of methods to slay his enemies and he had gathered from that experience a bit of personal self control.

Apparently, together, he and his brother were hell on wheels.

Literally.

The bot looked like everyone else, tall, metallic and handsome. But he had a difference she hadn't seen before. He could alternate in root mode between peds and wheels. He could walk or he could skate. That made him impossibly awesome to her. He also had a jet pack for short bursts of flying and he had seven foot energon swords that slid from the sheaths in his cuffs.

That made him doubly awesome squared.

She had been placed on the table and listened to the conversation which had been switched to English to allow her the courtesy of understanding. There were spots where their own language was spoken alone. She began to gather that Sideswipe was considered a 'playah' among his own kind.

He couldn't get more perfect if he tried.

"So tell me about your brother and what is this about split spark twins?" Miko had interjected.

He looked at her, his characteristic smirk firmly in place. "Sunstreaker is a arrogant fragger who fights pretty good."

That met general approval.

"He's yellow and black and has different finials than me. But he's my twin. We share one spark. We're the only ones who ever did that I think. I've never seen another twin."

"They aren't rare among us but they're rad," Miko said agreeing. All of the mechs grinned.

Sideswipe leaned closer. "How did you frag Hard Shell?" he asked.

"Good thing that Arcee isn't in here," Bumblebee tweeted. "She would have your bearings," he said glancing at Wheeljack.

That bot snorted, his grin as sexy as his voice. "That would be about right." He looked at Miko and nodded.

She looked at Sideswipe levelly, something that had never been a problem for her among the mechs. Finding this species had been like coming home for her. "He fragged Bulkhead. No one frags my partner."

Sideswipe sat back with a grin. "Go on."

"Wheeljack was going to get him and I snuck on board his ship. He was airborne before he noticed," she said.

"You're getting old," Sideswipe said glancing at Wheeljack.

"Remember that when you try to transform and you find puke on your floorboards," Bulkhead said proudly. He looked at the tiny form of his best human friend and all around surrogate wild child and was proud. "Little femme is sneaky. Lots of stealth in my Miko."

She grinned at Bulkhead. "You bet, Bulk." She looked at Sideswipe again. "I told him Hard Shell shot Bulkhead and we drew them out by blowing up an energon mine after calling Megatron."

"Slag. You had all the fun. I hope there's something left for me," Sideswipe said with a chuckle.

"It was Wheeljack and me against Hard Shell only Wheeljack wouldn't let me fight him," Miko said. "He made me stay on the ship."

"I had it set for automatic controls. All she had to do was press the right key and the Jackhammer would fly her back to base. Little femme didn't," Wheeljack said, his own pride evident for Miko.

"I couldn't leave you," Miko said. "You almost got him but he was too big. He was getting ready to kill you when I fired rockets at him. He blew up and you barely made it to the ship before the hive came after us."

"Hive? How many of those vermin live here?" Sideswipe asked with a serious expression.

"Too many. Arachnid controls them," Bulkhead replied.

"Arachnid? Another one on my list. She's gone rogue I heard. Now she collects skulls," Sideswipe said.

"We know. She tried to collect Jack's," Miko said. "Wheeljack blew them up in mid air with a box of grenades. It was epic."

"It was," Wheeljack said. "Arcee still hasn't forgiven me for bringing you along. Nor Ratchet."

"I don't care. I had to even the score. Hard Shell is no more," she said with a cold tone in her voice. "Bulkhead, one, insecticons, zero."

"You mean Miko, one," Bulkhead interjected.

She looked at him and shook her head. "Nope. We're partners, Bulk. We share the victories."

They chuckled over that and the afternoon continued. It was also epic.

-0-Back in class

She looked at the board and saw the assignments. Writing them down in her assignment notebook, she considered the possibilities. Sideswipe would be a fun character to be around but he wasn't that forthcoming. He was a prankster, a fighter of high quality but a bit of a clam on the personal revelation side. It was depressing. No one would disclose even the slightest information about Ironhide and Ratchet.

Maybe the taboo stuff was real.

She had spent the afternoon alternating between watching bots come and go including Bulkhead and watching Ironhide and Ratchet. They were calm together but there was something off. She had no idea what it was but she was dogged in her desire to find out. She followed Ironhide into the arsenal where he sat and began to tinker with a canon that he unbolted from his arm. She climbed onto a box to sit and watch.

Ironhide was aware she was there but put it to one side. He had no idea about humans but he knew about children. They were curious and relentless about knowing things. "I see you."

She grinned. "I see you back."

They were companionably quiet a moment, then Miko stood up and peered at his gun. "That's a big canon. The recoil must be amazing."

"You get use to it." He glanced at her. "Its like an extension of my arm."

She nodded and sat. "How many bots are out there and are they coming here? I sure hope so. The more the merrier."

He glanced at her, then chose another tool. "There are many out there and some of them are waiting for Prime to call. We are aware that energon is here and that is going to be a big help. We have a lot of refugees congregating. We need to secure them and regroup. Finding Prime was central to that."

Miko nodded. "Is Prime married?"

He paused, hit the internal databases, then looked at her. "We don't marry."

"You don't?" Miko asked with as much innocence as she could muster. "I think he's handsome. I would think someone would have married him by now. He's what? Eight trillion years old?"

Ironhide ciphered that and snorted. "You're ahead of the game by about 7.9 trillion years or so."

"You didn't answer my question," she said grinning at him pointedly.

He grinned back. "No, I did not."

"You and Ratchet are married aren't you. Maybe that's not the right word but its what you are," Miko said.

He looked at her pausing a moment, then began to tinker once more. "You're a nosy little thing."

"I am. I want to know all about your people. I think I was born in the wrong body and on the wrong planet. I don't feel at home until I come here."

He considered that. "Count your blessings you are here and not with us. We don't have a home anymore."

"You can't rebuild Cybertron?" she asked.

"We could but it would take a miracle."

She considered that. "Then coming here is your miracle. Here is where you guys are going to kill Megatron and Starscream."

"Starscream is here too?" Ironhide asked with a slight grin.

"Soundwave too," Miko replied.

"Slaggers," Ironhide said putting down his tool and sighting in his weapon. "I would love to have one good shot at both of them."

"Take out Razorbeak too. I hate that bot," Miko said nodding. "Starscream and Megatron don't get along. I think Starscream would kill Megatron if he could. He was in charge of the Decepticons for a while. Because of him, we were trapped in a weird dimension with a Decepticon zombie."

Ironhide considered that, then grinned. "You're a strange one."

"Everyone tells me that. See? I am really a bot like you," she said with a grin.

Footsteps at the door signaled another bot arriving. Springer paused by the door. "We have a patrol, you and me."

Ironhide nodded and began to reconstruct his gun. Miko regarded the big green and yellow bot leaning on the doorjamb. "He told me he's married to Ratchet."

Both of them looked at her, then Springer searched for meaning. He grinned. "Did you tell her that really?"

"No," Ironhide said with a grin. "You've just been played." He rose and looked down at her a moment, shaking his helm. "I can see why Bulkhead likes you." With that, he turned and walked out with Springer.

Miko sat a moment, then hopped down heading for the big main room. Bots were leaving through the bridge as she walked through the great space toward the stairs. She climbed them, then walked to where Jack and Raf stood watching at the railing. She stood between them and grinned. "Ironhide and Ratchet are married," she said to their startled amazement.

-0-In the greater world out there

They drove down paved roads, their sensors scanning wide. There were reports on the local news station in this part of Nebraska that glowing lights in the sky were seen at night. They were swiftly moving, then they would pause and hover. They were unpredictable and would fly away at speeds and angles that no human craft could match.

News people had come to the area to do reports and so did humans interested in UFOs and other alien possibilities. Ironhide and Springer listened to the radio talk about such things, then Springer turned it down. "Must be 'Cons hanging around. They would only be here to hunt us or mine energon."

"I agree," Ironhide said. "You getting any readings?"

"Nope," Springer said.

"Neither do I," Ironhide replied. "Let's keep going. We're bound to find humans congregating and then we can find out what's going on."

They drove off together down the long flat ribbon of highway. As they did a great alien ship slowly passed by high overhead, its signal cloaked along with its singular menace.

-0-At lunchtime out front

They sat on the steps and ate their lunches. A fast food extravaganza from the local diner was met with approval. Jack looked at Miko who was eating a homemade fry. "What makes you think that Ratchet and Ironhide are married? How do you know they even marry?"

"Ironhide practically said so," Miko replied. "I asked him if he and Ratchet were married. He said they don't marry. He didn't say they weren't so I told Springer that they were. He confirmed it. Sucker."

Jack considered her. "You're nuts to hit on these things. You could be breaking a taboo or showing them you aren't trustworthy."

"I am **very** trustworthy," Miko countered.

"Maybe," Raf replied. "But you're too nosy for your own good."

"I'm not. Much." It was quiet a moment. Then Miko grinned. "Did you know Ratchet and Ironhide share quarters?"

They paused and looked at her. "Too much information, Miko," Jack said shaking his head.

"Not enough," Miko said with a firm tone.

Both of the boys glanced at her, then each other. Then they ate their lunch silently.

-0-Later that day as school ends

Bulkhead appeared and his door opened, Miko bounding inside. She looked at the boys. "Need a lift?"

"No," Raf said. "Bee's coming and Jack can ride with me." Jack nodded so the door closed and Bulkhead drove off. They watched it go. "What do you think about what Miko said?" Raf asked as the beautiful sleek form of Bumblebee drove into the school parking lot and sped toward them.

"I think Miko is too nosy for her own good," Jack replied.

"What about the part of Ironhide and Ratchet being … you know?" Raf asked in his slightly nerdy backward twelve year old way.

"They're not humans, Raf. What they do is their own business," Jack said as Bee drove up. The doors opened and they climbed inside. They would be at the base in minutes.

-0-TBC

04-24-13


	7. Chapter 7

What Makes No Difference Is No Difference 7 (PS Hero's first day of school can be found in The Chronicles of Orion, 15) :D

-0-On the ground

They drove onward and found themselves catching up to traffic. Cars of the nonsentient variety lined the shoulders of the road as people parked to look at something. They slowed, then stopped extending their sensors outward. There were individuals that didn't look to have an official capacity although their understanding of the planet was sparse to nil.

:What do you think is going on, Ironhide?: Springer asked over their comm link.

:I don't know. Pony up and let's go see: he replied. A momentary rerouting of a number of things and a better resolved image of the man driving the big black pickup truck could be seen. The door opened and he stepped down walking toward the low ditch that separate the road from the people rubbernecking nearby.

Another door opened as Springer's holographic image stepped out joining Ironhide's. They could have been related although that wasn't the intention. They had just chosen formats to utilize from the same file. Ironhide smirked. :I see you're as lazy as I am:

:Goes without saying, 'Hide: Springer said as they turned to head toward the large group behind a yellow line of tape reading 'crime scene'. They reached it and angled through until they could see better. Three men were standing together watching, their own trucks parked nearby. "What's up?" Springer's hologram asked.

One of the men glanced at him. "There's strange things going on out here."

"Really," Ironhide's hologram asked. He was a big holographic male of the human species, clad in jeans and a white work shirt. His hair was black with salt and pepper flecks of gray. Blue eyes, almost too blue looked at him levelly. "What do you mean strange?"

The two men with him turned to Springer and Ironhide. "There's ships flying over this area that do things no Earthly ship can do. They take off, fly straight up and stop in mid air. They are looking for something. They're scaring everyone around here to death. The dairy down the road has a whole herd that's dried up."

"I see," Springer said sympathetically. He had no idea what the man was saying but he knew how to jerk another person along. "What's with the tape?"

"Someone is trying to catch whatever it is. They failed. Sheriff's deputies said there's bodies down in the ravine. Could be that they tried to catch what it was and were fried. They were burned beyond recognition."

"Damn," Ironhide said. "That sounds odd. What do you suppose is doing this?"

"Aliens," another said as the others nodded.

"Because of the way they fly?" Springer asked.

They nodded. "They're also killing people. What kind of weapon could burn someone up like that?" another asked.

"Besides your wife's cooking?" the third asked with a smirk.

Guff was handed out and they turned to watch as the official group began to carry out bagged remains of a three unidentified men who had been found scorched to death in the middle of a burned circle. As they stood watching more cars drove up including two that had government license plates. Men got out including a rude guy in a suit. He stood with the Sheriff and listened, then began to argue. The Sheriff argued back, then both turned to walk to the scene that was behind a number of leafy trees.

"We have to button this up," the suit said to the Sheriff. Springer and Ironhide listened to the argument, the distance no obstacle to their ability to hear. The Sheriff wanted answers, the suit wanted silence. It was a stand off. The suit looked around, watched as men with him took samples, pictures and the usual rundown of evidence collection. When they were done, the suit turned and walked post haste back to the cars. They drove off together.

The three men, Springer and Ironhide watched them. "Who is that?" Springer asked.

"A man named Keller who is supposed to be from NASA. He's been chasing this stuff for a while. I personally think we're being set up for invasion by aliens," the youngest of the three men said.

"You thought the world was going to end last December 21st. How's the credit card debt doing for ya?" another who was his brother mentioned to great hilarity. Ironhide and Springer laughed too, although they couldn't explain the joke to save themselves. They took their leave and turned walking back to their vehicles. Climbing inside, tinting the windows, they derezzed and started up. Pulling out, they continued onward. "This is a strange event," Ironhide mused. "The 'Cons killing humans is strange."

"I think we better tell Optimus and ask him about Keller. That rodent looks like a fragger," Springer replied.

"I agree," Ironhide said. They stepped it up, turned down a side road and once out of view called for a bridge. They were gone in seconds.

-0-At the base

Mechs came and went through the aperture as the day wore onward. Miko watched them, new bots all and considered their new circumstances. They were able to do more longer, safely in pairs and all of it required energon. They would either have to steal it, make it or find it. All of it sounded like work. The bridge flared again as Ironhide and Springer returned. Walking toward Ratchet, they both paused. "Is Prime here?"

"He's gone to see Agent Fowler about a number of things," Ratchet said looking up to both bots. Ratchet was a tall mech, taller than Arcee and Bumblebee. Those two bots were mini-cons. Ratchet was considered average sized but the others were what they called 'warrior class' mechs. Bulkhead was a bruiser and all around king wrecking ball. Springer was big, solid and formidable. He was also about 25 feet tall she reckoned. Ironhide was genuinely massive, in Springer's range for height but a bigger more powerful looking bot overall.

Jazz was a mini-con, agile and deceptively strong. He was fast, extremely smart and incredibly brave. He was a saboteur, something that gave her tingles to think about. Sneaking into a place and blowing it up was awesome. But he was still short.

Wheeljack, Ironhide, Springer and Bulkhead were all tall with the first three having the edge over her Bulk. Dynamite comes in small or smaller packages she thought with a grin. All of them were great.

"What did you find out?" Ratchet asked.

"There's something going on in sector four where you sent us. They are having UFO reports and sightings. Someone killed a handful of humans with an energon based weapon," Springer said. "No human possesses such weapons. Apparently its so bad, a dairy farmer's cows quit giving milk."

Ratchet looked at the two of them and they both shrugged slightly. Springer grinned. "A couple of humans there thought it significant."

Ratchet nodded. "Make sure you tell Optimus when he gets back. Tell me exactly where this happened and I can pinpoint it on the map." He turned and they followed him to the console. He pulled up a map and they drew closer as they laid down the intel that they had discovered. As they did, Ironhide rested his arm around Ratchet's shoulders. The smaller mech didn't show any signs that he minded. But he didn't show any that he cared either.

Miko didn't know what to make of it.

-0-Bumblebee and Jazz

They drove along the highway heading toward a site that might have undiscovered energon. The signature indicated that it was untouched and therefore something they might exploit themselves, at least in a hit-and-run operation. Perhaps Ratchet could dampen the signature of the energon so they could take more of it in a longer period of time before the infernal 'Cons made their way there.

"What do you think of the humans, Bee?" Jazz asked over the comm link as they cruised together, two concept cars that were utterly out of place on the long empty expanses of southeastern Utah.

Bee tweeted back, his vocal processors capable of their language but nothing more. It was actually soothing to Jazz to hear. "I like them. They're tough and they're fun. Raf actually understands our language. I don't now how but he does. He's good at math and computers so it probably helps."

"I like him. He's a nice kid. What about Jack and Miko?" Jazz asked.

"They're as different as night and day. Jack is responsible and mature. Miko will run into a battle without thinking about it. Sometimes she's hard to protect. I think she forgets she's human," Bee tweeted back. The landscape beautiful in its stark grandeur flashed past them slowly. "She's Bulkhead in pig tails."

Jazz scanned for 'pig tails' then grinned to himself. "Maybe we can go on reconn together, Miko and me."

"She won't stay put. She will always be in the middle. I'm surprised any of us are still alive," Bee said. "She's trying to find out about Ratchet and Ironhide."

"I'm not tellin'," Jazz said his tone changing to seriousness. "She's curious but she'll get no where."

"I know but expect her to keep trying. It's her nature," Bee said as they turned off the road to a smaller, even more dusty one.

"Good to know," Jazz said as he followed along behind Bee, far enough back to miss the majority of his dust. He considered that and the long shower it would take to get his groove back. A mech couldn't be too careful of appearances. You only got to make one at a time before anyone new and everyone here was. If you didn't do it with style, he always said, then why would you do it? He grinned and followed as they drove onward into the gullies and washs of the desert.

-0-Agent Fowler, Optimus Prime and Agent Keller

They gathered at an out of the way place, a big Peterbilt tractor truck, a nondescript sedan and a black SUV. Agent Keller had flown in from a rural backwash about two hours away to have this meet up with Fowler and the Prime of Cybertron. The two men walked to the big truck and climbed inside closing the doors behind him. Fowler who disliked Keller with a capital D glanced at him. Keller for his part sat with a certain amount of trepidation and no small matter of angst as he waited.

For something.

Fowler who had talked to Prime prior to this meetup, which in and of itself was unprecedented looked at the dash. "Hello, Prime. This is Agent Keller of NASA."

The agent looked at the radio, a different kind of installation than first glance would allow and the round disk in the steering wheel of the enigmatic face of their faction. "What now?"

"Say hello," Fowler said enjoying Keller's unease.

He stared at Fowler, then the dash. "Hello, Optimus Prime. This is Agent Keller of NASA."

"Good afternoon, Agent Keller. I am Optimus Prime," a rich deep voice said calmly through the 'radio'.

Keller blinked, then looked at Fowler. He nodded, so Keller looked at the dash. "Mr. Prime, we are having a problem about 200 miles from here involving mysterious ships flying oddly about, excavations here and there and now, three humans who were hiking were killed. They were burned to death by a big heat source that scorched not just them but the ground around them in a big circle."

"It would appear that they were in the wrong place at the wrong time, Agent Keller. We are tracking Decepticon activity in a number of places to ascertain what Megatron is up to. Right now, we are as uncertain of his goals and plans as you are."

"That's not very helpful, Mr. Prime. Not at all. It's my job to assure people that things are just fine in the world. It's my job to tell them that they won't be killed in their beds," Keller said testily.

"We are aware of that as well. We have as much concern for the safety of the humans of this planet as you do. We have expanded our search grids to try and find a pattern to the activity and when we do, we can act. Until then, we can only track them."

It was silent a moment, then Keller leaned forward. "You might put a pedal down, Mr. Prime. If enough people get killed nothing will stop the mess that will follow." He glanced at Fowler, then stepped out of the truck. He turned and walked toward his SUV, a vehicle he had driven alone. As he did, the sound of machinery behind him gave him pause. He turned to see a giant figure take shape, a number of pieces clicking into place. He paused astonished.

Optimus Prime after letting Fowler out transformed. He wanted Keller to see what his people looked like, the size and power of them. He wanted Keller to understand how difficult the problem was and to shoot down any stupid notion that humans could function against the enemy without the Autobots.

Fowler who got it turned to Keller. "Before you go back and get an idea that our military can do this alone, take a good look at Prime. He's what we're facing. Then be damned grateful that he's here to help. He doesn't have to be but he is. They're here to help us and they've paid the price for it. Make sure you put that in your fucking report, Keller."

Keller looked at Prime for a moment, then turned to walk silently to his car. He entered and drove off, the sound of his vehicle fading. As he did, Optimus Prime knelt. "What do you think, Agent Fowler, about all of his concerns?"

"I think he's scared and getting flack. I think he now gets it what we're up against with you transforming. I think he's not trustworthy at all and given the right circumstances would toss us over for advantage."

Optimus looked at the disappearing vehicle now several miles away, then leaned down. "You read my processor," he said quietly. Fowler nodded in agreement.

TBC

04-28-13


	8. Chapter 8

What Makes No Difference Is no Difference 8 edited

-0-Early morning

They gathered around the table listening to Ratchet as he explained the situation regarding the energon find. It was by all intents and purposes untouched, so they would go to make a hit and bring back the ore to be processed here. All of them would be involved but Ratchet who would tend the store watching for trouble.

Prime nodded to the medic and the bridge flared to life under Ratchet's deft touch. The others transformed and drove onward heading for a desert location that Jazz and Bee had helped discover and scout the orn before. Jack and Raf watched them go, then turned to Ratchet. "This should be interesting," Jack said. "You need more sources now with more bots."

"We do," Ratchet said. "I am still working on the synthetic formula but for now we are dependent on Seeker drones from the distant past." He paused, then looked around. "Where's Miko?"

-0-On the road in Utah

They drove toward the site on a bouncy pitted dirt road. It was more traffic than usual and the content of said traffic would give an interstate pause. The big truck and other heavy pickups and SUVs wouldn't raise an eyebrow. The others would.

Wheeljack's formula 1 Lancia Strata, Bee's Camaro Concept format, Arcee's futuristic motorcycle format and Jazz's Porsche Turbo were not seen often in the boondocks of Utah. They followed along behind Prime bitching about the dust as they exited the bridge onto a little used track. Turning off at the end, they bumped along, the low slung models adding that to the litany of gripes good naturedly playing over their internal comm systems.

When they arrived at the bottom of a broken slide of rocks crumbling off a low slung mesa they transformed and gathered around Prime. He turned and gave instructions which they began to carry out. As they did more Autobots were winging their way toward Earth.

-0-Out there

They flew in transitional format, Autobot comrades who had been searching for their faction and the AllSpark through the endless tracks of space. A chance signal from a refugee camp far from them had allowed them to triangulate on a small planet where it was possible to assume there were others. Of course, assuming makes an ass out of you and me but that was irrelevant. They were homesick and needful of a clear idea of what was happening in the bigger picture so they turned and made their way toward the small planet the signal identified as Earth.

-0-Utah

The digging was slow going. Ironhide straightened up and looked around in the dust filled chamber that they had gouged out. "Sideswipe should be here. How did he get a patrol?"

"He asked to look around," Wheeljack said as he slammed a pick ax into a wall breaking lose several big crystals of energon. It fell at their feet in a pile.

"Do that again," Ironhide said with a grin. "You have the knack. I'll watch and get pointers."

Wheeljack snorted. "Get the lead out."

They both bent into the job together. Nearby, collecting it into carts that hovered in the air, Arcee and Bee worked to stay ahead of the bigger stronger bots. They would be ready to ship another load back shortly.

-0-On the road

Sideswipe drove along the roads of Nevada in his format, a Porsche Turbo with acceleration from zero to sixty in less than 4 seconds in a normal car. In his format, it was zero to four hundred in less than three seconds. He drove slightly above the speed limit on the endless rolling roads of the local area. It was a desert world, under populated and rather majestic in its beauty. Having been born and raised on a metallic planet, organic worlds took a bit of adjustment but this was easy. It was really that beautiful.

Speeding along, he passed other cars some of which slowed to look at him. He felt the scrutiny of the locals and enjoyed it greatly. He was supremely aware of his format and good looks. This form was both worthy and enhancing of his ample natural attributes. He passed a car, a red and yellow one that was concept as well. He didn't give it much thought but the other automobile did apparently because it slowed, turned and headed back the way the Lambo had gone.

-0-At home base

Raf sat on the mezzanine watching the ebb and flow of the business of protecting the Earth. Ratchet was distracted with a number of projects which he worked on as well as monitoring two groups off base. Raf himself was working on a report due in science Monday. It was about physics and the concept of traveling beyond the speed of light.

It was pleasant and comfortable. It was also missing Miko.

-0-Utah

A stirring in his chassis alerted Bulkhead to the inevitable. A tapping sound in his audials told him the story, one he was used to reading. Pausing to step around a boulder, he popped his plates and a ltiny head peeked out. "Hi, Bulk. It was getting a little hot in here."

"Miko," Bulkhead said with exasperation. "What are you doing here?"

"We're partners, Bulk," she said climbing upward. He took her into his servo and held her up. "I can help. You know me, Bulk. I'm a team player."

He looked at her and shook his helm. "Optimus is going to kick my tailpipe, Miko."

"He probably will," Wheeljack said as he came out of the growing cavern for a moment. "Hi, Miko."

"Hey, 'Jack," Miko said.

Then Optimus came out behind Wheeljack.

-0-On the road

The car following behind him was a beauty, an Aston Martin DBS V12 with a red paint scheme and yellow rim tires. It was beautiful and very fast, coming up to ride his tailpipe. Sideswipe's rear mirror shifted so that he could see the other vehicle better, then he shifted gears taking off so fast that the vehicle following looked parked in place.

"What the frag," Knockout said as he watched the beautiful Lambo disappear ahead of him. Shifting himself, he put metal to the pedal and disappeared in pursuit.

-0-Utah

"Miko," Prime said with surprise.

"Hi, Optimus." Miko grinned at him as Bulkhead in his uncertainty turned to place her on the rock next to him. She stared up with a smile. "I came to help."

Prime looked at her, this force of nature that was half help and half hell, then grinned slightly. "I can see that. If you decide to come along, I would appreciate knowing in advance. As commander, I have the last word. It is called the chain of command."

She nodded. "You would let me come then?"

"If the mission is benign," Prime replied. "If there is danger, I do not want to see you popping up in the middle of things. You will get killed and so will everyone else. We can not take care of you and fight at the same time."

"Deal," she said with a grin. "So … I can stay now?"

"Yes but next time you will be sent back. At the first sign of trouble, you are gone," Prime said glancing at Bulkhead.

"Got it," Bulk said with relief.

Optimus walked to the growing pile of energon to speak to Ironhide as Miko turned to Bulkhead. "Well … what do you want me to do?"

Bulkhead just shook his helm.

-0-On the road

They flew down the highway, Sideswipe leading as Knockout followed. Few cars passed but those that did were left in the dust, the four hundred miles per hour speed of the two cars out of their experience. Heading toward a city in the distance Sideswipe took a side turn, a paved road that led up into a mountainous region of broken ridges and distant sheep ranches.

Knockout followed.

-0-Utah

They gathered the energon and began to take it through the open bridge. Disappearing with each barrow full, they finally cleared the decks. Ironhide and Prime stood to one side consulting on the problem, then turned to walk to the group who was left, Wheeljack and Bulkhead who had placed Miko on his shoulder. "The majority of the energon is removed but we want to seal this excavation. Let's put these boulders in the hole before we leave," Prime said nodding to a pile of oversized rocks nearby.

The four of them turned and began to carry heavy rocks to the holes dropping them into the opening. It would take a while.

-0-On the road

Sideswipe twisted and turned until he reached the point he wanted to be. Slowing slightly, he transformed and flew through the air, his long swords sliding out of his wrists for battle. Knockout slammed on his breaks, then transformed. He flew through the air and collided with Sideswipe with a crash.

-0-Later

They entered with their haul moving it to the inner most parts of the base. The stockpile would last them a while and the hidden cache waiting to be excavated was marked on their maps with sensor alerters posted nearby to prevent theft without a fight. They were dirty and tired but satisfied.

Ratchet turned and alerted Prime. "We have a new signal. An Autobot signal."

He turned walking to their homespun version of Teletraan and looked. "There appear to be two signals. Do you have an idea of who they are?"

"Not yet. Their accretions are blocking their transponder signals," Ratchet replied. "They are going to be touching down shortly and we need to get them quickly. It might work to our advantage for the Decepticons to not know how many of us there are here."

Prime nodded. "Where will they land?"

Ratchet checked, then looked at Prime. "They will be landing outside a town called Anchorage, Alaska. It is in the area called Wasilla."

Prime nodded. "I will send Ironhide and Wheeljack to get them. Make it a quick snatch and grab, Ratchet."

Ratchet nodded, then turned to get the coordinates down pat. Ironhide and Wheeljack walked to the station and watched. "That means two more soldiers. This could be interesting. I wonder who it is?" Ironhide mused.

"I don't know. They have too much ice around them to make a prediction," Ratchet replied. "I have the coordinates. They're coming into the upper atmosphere. If you hurry no one will get them but us."

Ironhide nodded and with Wheeljack in tow turned to walk to the bridge which flared into life under Ratchet's direction. They walked into it and disappeared. Miko who was standing next to the bridge watched them go, then turned to walk to Ratchet. "What's up?"

"We have new Autobots," Ratchet said turning back to monitor the situation.

"Awesome. Who are they? Are they warriors? Do they fly?" she asked in her usual staccato style.

"We don't know for sure. Only a few Autobots fly. Sideswipe can fly," Ratchet said in a slightly distracted voice. "They have touched down."

-0-Wasilla, Alaska

It was a swampy area where the two big streaks of light came slamming in. They hit the marshes and water plumed as ducks scattered into the air. Wheeljack and Ironhide stood in the water which came up to their knee assemblies. Down below the surface, beneath layers of slime and rising steam, two Autobots were working to unwind themselves.

The water was dank, dark and filled with sediment that would cling to the new bots like glue. Wheeljack who was watching them moved closer as one of the bots began to untangle themselves and emerge from the pool. The other was still working at it.

The bot who rose up was tall and well made, their protoform showing a winged format. The wings were large and of one piece unlike Bumblebee who had the divided wings that mini-cons favored. Ratchet teased him that they did that because they thought it made them look taller.

He was big and bore a dark chevron on his helm. He sputtered water, then smiled. "Wheeljack!" Glancing at the other bot he nodded with a grin. "Ironhide."

Ironhide grinned. "You two have to hurry," he said as the other bot rose up and staggered sputtering water and curses. "Let's roll. Ratchet, we need a bridge."

A burst of energy opened and with a tug and push, the four hurried through just in time. A high altitude flight of Seekers were scanning. They hit the right spot just as the bridge closed.

Foiled again.

They hurried through the maelstrom, then exited into a base that appeared to be underground. Stone walls going upward forever it seemed greeted them along with the bots who were already on base. The two protoforms stepped forward and greeted them. Ratchet scanned them, then downloaded their data and schematics files.

They stood silently absorbing the information, then began to change. Their bodies shifted forming this and that until two bots with the familiar look stood in front of the group. One was a tall winger with a black and white format topped by a gray chevron. The other was bigger and taller with a yellow and black paint scheme. Prime who was watching stepped forward to greet them. "Hello, Bluestreak," he said to the winger. "Welcome." He turned to the disgusted uptight format next to Bluesteak who was muttering about his finish. "Hello, Sunstreaker."

The big Lambo quit squirming and looked at Prime. Extending his servo, he gripped Prime's. "It took a while but we got here. Have you seen Sideswipe?"

"He's here," Prime said nodding. Bluestreak smiled and nodded to Sunstreaker. That bot said little but looked around. "Who else is here?"

"Springer and Drift, Ratchet, myself, Ironhide and Sideswipe. Arcee and Bulkhead, Bumblebee, Jazz and Wheeljack as well," Prime said.

"Sounds good. Where is Sideswipe? I have to kick his aft," Sunstreaker said glancing around.

"He left to do a patrol," Ratchet said as a call came through. "Here he comes now." He opened a bridge and the energy formed. The three human kids walked to the railing of the mezzanine as the figure of Sideswipe appeared. He was carrying another bot in a fireman hold. He stepped down and dropped the bot who bounced. He looked dented and was off line. Grinning at his catch, he paused and looked up. "Sunstreaker! Blue! You made it!"

"We did," Bluestreak said with a big grin.

Sunstreaker grinned, then pasted Sideswipe in the face. He fell backward and bounced himself. Before either could do anything more, Prime cleared his throat, a non-necessary action but one that carried his point. They turned and looked at him.

As they did, Ratchet moved closer to look at the figure on the floor. "Well, look what the targs dragged in," he said as he planted a kick on Knockout's aft with one of his own big old peds.

Ironhide actually smiled.

-0-TBC August 12, 2013


End file.
